Chapter 12: You Can Run
"Wake-up my dear, we are here." Erik shook Christine lightly. She awakened and gazed around as if trying to remember where she was, she saw Erik and smiled. She took her bag and he helped her down from the carriage. Erik paid the driver and they made their way inside.
Erik and Christine maneuvered their way to her old dressing room through the shadows. They quietly slipped through the mirror and down they went, returning to where it all began. When they reached the lake, Erik pulled her through another passageway that took them around the lake, since there was no boat. It took them much longer to get around than Christine thought it would, and was exhausted by the time they reached The Phantom's lair. Erik looked a little pained at the site of his organ, but it was quickly replaced by a look of concern for Christine, who looked like she was about to faint at any moment.
"Are you alright Christine?" He took her hand, rubbing his thumb against it.
She looked up at him and nodded. "Just a little tired is all." But that wasn't all, Raoul was alive, and he had known of Erik. There had been a child, a child that was not her own yet Raoul had taken her money. And now he wanted her back! What kind of ass was he? It took Christine a few moments to find out exactly why Raoul might want her back. His ego. He couldn't just tell everybody that there had been a child out of wedlock, and that had been the reason for his death, no, he needed a poor little wife to cover it all up. The more Christine thought about this, the dizzier she felt. Raoul was going to find them and he was going to kill Erik. She looked up at the man that hid himself behind a mask, it was so pure yet so dark. Exactly like the man who wore it. The man that was her angel, her lover. The man that she never wanted to leave. The man that might be, no, going to be killed by Raoul. An image of Erik lying in a pool of his own blood because of her caused the breakage.
Erik caught her in one swift movement before she hit the floor. He looked down at her face and had an urge to weep. She had been so happy with him, why did he have to return? He was going to ask Christine, but thought better of it; he didn't want her to have to think about what had happened in the Gothic Tower. He went into her room, which was the only one that hadn't been destroyed by the mob. He set her down on the bed. He wanted so much to lay down with her but he had things to tend to.
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Erik found his gondola about a mile away from his lair, it was intact and the pole was not too far away. He got in and started the ride to the passageway behind the manager's office, he needed Christine to start singing again, it will kill him if she doesn't. He quickly found his way around and he listened intently to Firmin and Andre bicker over Carlotta. Andre wanted to keep her, but Firmin was not so keen on it.
"Andre please, every time she performs we sell less and less seats! Be reasonable, things were better when Christine was here, even if she did come at a high price of a murderous phantom! At least she could sing!" Firmin sounded as one does trying to put a sweater on a giddy child.
Erik frowned at the comment of him being murderous, even if it was true, he hadn't murdered since then for the sake of Christine. He was a changed man because of her. However, he agreed that Christine was much better than Carlotta. Andre was not so pleasing to listen to.
"No! I will not lose my chance with Carlotta just because you think that my darling is not bringing us any money! There were people in the aisles last time I checked!"
"Andre, those were ushers, and they had bees wax in their ears!"
Erik had had enough. "Hello gentlemen." It took him a moment too get back into being the Phantom Of The Opera. "I see you are having trouble with your inventory. I told you that woman was bad for business, maybe next time you'll listen to your phantom." Erik almost laughed as Andre and Firmin looked around bewildered. "If you want Christine back, all you must do is call upon me, and you shall have her."
"Yes! We need her!" Firmin said almost relieved.
"No, no, no, we do not need her or you for that matter." There was a sound like someone being thumped on the head and then a sigh. "Alright, but isn't she married?"
Erik paused, what would he tell them? "I don't know monsieur, why don't you ask her your self when she arrives in the afternoon tomorrow? And I expect that she will be given the lead role? What is the performance again?"
"Well you see, we're doing a favor for the Moulin Rouge and we're performing an play there, not really an Opera, but there will be singing in it." Firmin spoke as if trying to reassure Erik. "Christine will be perfect for the lead role."
Erik thought about this, back to the Moulin Rouge, he would have to see if the Viscount was gone first, he wouldn't want to kill him right after he had secured Christine's role, no that would be to messy. "Thank you for your time gentlemen."
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A/N: I know that was short but I didn't want to put to much in one chapter. By the way, if you want chat with me on msn my e-mail is . I won't be on for a bit cus I'm staying with my mom for a bit and yeah but you can e-mail me and I will totally respond!
